Rugby: Successes reward for NZRU patience

It's hard to know whether this season has been a reward for patience or proof that the law of probability will always triumph.

It was only last year that there were serious questions being asked of both Colin Cooper and Ian Foster.

The respective Hurricanes and Chiefs coaches had had their contracts extended early and without challenge in 2007.

Mid-way through last year's Super 14, that decision appeared to have been an act of folly.

The Chiefs had, once again, bombed in the opening weeks leaving them with too much to do.

The Hurricanes eventually found enough form to sneak into the semifinals only to limp out rather meekly.

The feeling at the time was that neither Foster nor Cooper had done enough to justify the faith the New Zealand Rugby Union had shown in them.

Cooper was in his sixth season with the Hurricanes, Foster his fifth with the Chiefs and there was a sense neither of them really had what it took to nudge their sides beyond their current near-thing status.

Not only had they been given generous periods at the helm of their franchises, but they were also paired together with the Junior All Blacks - positions that suggested they were being groomed for the All Black job.

With three weeks left there is still a chance both sides could fail to achieve all that they should - and really, given where they are on the table and the form they have shown, making the final should be seen as a minimum requirement. So there is still the possibility of a negative post-mortem for one or both coaches in terms of the final position reached.

But it doesn't feel as if that will happen. There is a confidence and authority about both sides right now that points to last night's game being repeated on May 30.

Far from being a bit iffy, both Foster and Cooper have been smart and sure all campaign. They have selected wisely, kept with trusted combinations and managed to work some rest periods into the schedule of the leading players to keep them in full health in these critical closing stages.

Foster in particular has shown a tougher edge to his coaching. He has managed to get the best out of Sione Lauaki, presumably by making it clear to the big No 8 that it wasn't going to be okay to start the season lacking condition.

He has shuffled his backline resources well to cover for injury but most impressively, has been the quiet authority that has overcome the Chiefs. Where once they were prone to panicking, now they are a side that have belief, that continue to play rugby when they are under pressure.

The players can take much of the credit but Foster, too, has to be acknowledged for the way in which he has instilled that belief.

Cooper has done much the same with the Hurricanes who take the field every week clearly believing they can beat anyone.

A rotten night against the Bulls aside, they have been more consistent this season, not so prone to the wild fluctuations that didn't used to derail their own momentum so much as fuel the confidence of opponents who always knew there was a chance they might catch the Hurricanes on a bad night.

The improvements in both sides could be down to probability - that every side will get lucky at some stage.

It would be fairer to believe that the NZRU's patience has been rewarded. That they have shown confidence in two coaches who, because of the experience they have gained, are now far better equipped to deliver the results we all expect.